Hello. Welcome to the program. Im adrian. Think of this. Yes, new ministry rulers are in a stand off with the west and some of the neighbors refusing to hand back power to the man they ousted the countrys board. As i closed, the president mohammed bassoon has been in contact with the outside world. Speaking to us, secretary of state and to the blinking among others change times from only a few months ago when thinking dropped by its a visit mid shift seen as an important us ally of west africa. But the one whos allegiance is now uncertain. Francis retained the ministry force and its for the economy. The 10s of thousands of supporters of the crew leaders rallied in the capital to protest against the french presence. They want foreign troops gone. I think he was fond of exposing dish as wells of natural resources. What assess the implications of the crisis with, i guess in just a few moment, but 1st lets talk to our corresponded and i bring nigeria. Im gonna address um it, how much support does this crew have within that . Yeah. And outside the country is written going by the demonstrations we so uh, over the past few days or 2 weeks since the cool will say its significant, but its hard to compare with the support by them has uh or the government of president mohammed by them has because remember, this is a man who was elected by a majority votes into the office. And of course there are also to because of the Civil Society who condemned the military cool images. So we can say the military leaders have significant support from the southern part of the population, especially in the capital near me, which has been an old position strong hold. So what are the implications of this cool on . The pictures are many, 1st of all, to the country itself, since the cool, which see external donors, partners of this year, helping in terms of food supplies, education, health care, delivery, water supply, and even agriculture. Air signifying the interest to cut aid, and that does happen, and well continue to see such happening in the future. Now with that neighbors trade has been close, borders have been closed and trade has been cut off with needs yet to especially unite with an idea of which the Electricity Supply from nigeria, which supplies most of the electricity is. Yeah. And joyce has been cut off, and so is it can only trade rings. This is having a significant effect on the local population on the local economy. What we see right now is that a normal business transaction is helping to your cost of to the bodies of the 2 countries. Hundreds of people on the normal day with cost full range. And i did attempt reach to stock up on supplies and go back to media. And, but since the announcement of functions, i guess be shared by the Company Community of west african states, were seeing a slow down a complete shut down of the border. So no trade is happening and apart from that, that also will put a lot of pressure on the local, kind of move, seen inflation going through the rules. What, what are the chances of that of a Regional Ministry intervention against the coo latest . When more and more, we see the authorities in yeah, yeah. May, a digging in, they dont have any intention of happening over power. What were seeing from the early days of uncertainty, they have no stop is what seems like a government that they want to continue running on. Weve seen them point governors for the various regions and pointing mass ministers to help the government run your business. And then recently assume that a point, a Prime Minister, so that shows you would that be a digging in for a long time and exploits. Oh, i know this believe that as long as this is enough to continue, it would be difficult to negotiate our attempt to democracy in these. Yeah, this is what we see. Or what do we saw in countries like modeling and working across. So it all started like this, and then suddenly we are in for a long wait for democracy to attempt to those countries. So the sort of military force, the still that, according to i caused by the game, the appetite for immediate deployment of forces is not there. What we can see is that, yes, the 3rd or 4th is still in the table, but we dont know how soon they want to do that. Ill just, heres an address reporting from a bu jeff manufacturing date im at in the region is of course, no stranger the military clues which have toppled several governments in recent years. News yet is just the latest. 2 weeks ago mohammed bus, who was detained by members of his president ial god in august 2020. Mollys army us to president abraham book k, to of the mass Anti Government protests. An injury and civilian government was appointed to been forced out. And today, malia remains on the ministry rule in september 2021 soldiers and they bring guinea over through president also. Can they not follow the dispute to the election and his campaign for us the last year in beginning of 5. So that was not one but 2 crews. Within months of each of up, ill be captain, ever him throw away remains in control that also last year, 11 people were killed during a failed crew and gave us all of the so lets bring it out. Yes, for todays discussion from a boucher, were joined by that i have some director of the center for democracy and development of policy and Research Organization focusing on democracy and development in west africa from london, but joined by alexis. Our quick g, im who is the managing editor at new site center for africa and from washington, dc, camera, and hudson City Associates at the center for strategic and international studies. A welcome to you will camera. Lets start with you. How rapidly is the window, the soles, the crisis in does yet diplomatically closing. Its probably already closed. My sense from the events of alaska is 24 hours uh by the hunter, in the chair, a pointing a civilian Prime Minister, appointing a civilian cabinet to help administer affairs of state. I suspect that very quickly, theyre going to announce an 18 month or 24 month transition to do an auctions. They have been avoiding negotiating with american officials with, with regional officials from eco los, because they want to present the world with a fair complex. They dont want to negotiate with the international community, the terms of a restoration of either president by zoom or democracy in the country. They want to present us with their terms for how the country will be administered and open to us to try to negotiate or walk back what is already happened. So i think the quicker than washington and others acknowledge the fax on the ground. I think the more progress we can, we can get made in trying to talk to these qu, leaders, because right now theres absolutely no progress being made and trying to engage them. Alexis, would you agree with that . And will i could, was intervene militarily. Do you think im and it has a pretty shaky history when it comes to restoring order in countries and boiled in conflict . What are the risks of the trance eventually in this . Yeah, i mean, 1st of all, i agree with everything. Colin said, i think the window ultimately is closing properly. If it hasnt closed completely, i think in terms of costs intervening, i dont think they will intervene militarily they should repeatedly. That is the last result. I think if anything, they were probably 50 in offering that as a solution at some stage for the risk now for them is that theyre going to be in a situation where they are in a situation whereby the bulk is being perceived as far worse than his bite, and theyre going to be looking for some kind of diplomatic solution, some way in which i can hold back from just putting the front on the table. So dont want to do that. I dont the how that going to buy this to do that is gonna be tricky. Um this is all gonna come up present when they meet tomorrow in a project to discuss the way forward. It wont be very tricky to try and cut off some kind of mentoring intervention simply because, well, 1st of all, even before we get to the just explain to her and bind to this head suspect in that cost me to buy it. If ever and people specifically not jamie does being the largest for us and the biggest kind of parts of money behind that costs. So what youll be seeing that tonight too and send it to norma cuz i said that they do not get this the backend. So even before you look at the terrain for both sides of nature and how this, what happened on the ground, you still need to get past the political barrier once you get past the other thing that really isnt not the type for this, it would be very popular domestically for a number of these countries, and then they will be trying to install a president whos no longer particularly popular because clearly it has a ground sort of support from what the junk has taught. So i mean, i think itd be very tricky. Okay. But it have to agree with, with what youve just told them. And how can this be solved diplomatically . I mean, is this an internal dispute between missionary and elite . Is there actually broad Popular Support for what theyve done . And i think there is actually nothing like a good school, even though the school hes actually be a soldier to us at cvt. They go to cool that she said its kind of to be corrected. I that i bought the last will pull our lives and also uh we all got thats popular. Looks at beach and yet they asked was that all too much . Oh, a foot. Theres also puts in people who belong to some sort of the ginger was might have to move on there, but i think that it made sure to change thats actually responsible for the dates. Are there any identifying issues that please i didnt leave the house here on on because the what can i vision of i list on fees. I will also come very strongly to make some sort thoughts included, sir, what do we have here where the particular make fee would be made . The best way possible. These impasse camera, this year, plays an Important Role in the us as Counter Terrorism operations in the region. And why is the us to caring whats happened in asia . A cool as well. It hasnt because it wants to keep its options open as soon as the state department declares that it has been a accrued in the country. There requires an automatic suspension of the kind of military assistance of both intelligence provision, but also the training and equipping that. Were doing with counterterrorism units in the country, so that gets suspended uh virtually immediately. And so i think washington wants to try to preserve that for as long as it can. And again, it is, it is sticking to this notion that, that the window for diplomacy remains open. They are holding out hope that they can somehow or versus, and go back to a status quo ante of 2 weeks ago. But i think as the days go on, that reality looks like its less and less likely, and theyre going to be faced with a choice as to whether or not they declared this a crew. And then theyre going to have to be faced with another choice which is whether or not despite the cube, they continue to maintain counterterrorism cooperation with the military hunter. And again, i think this will be a set of hard choices that washington has to make it a spouses democratic principles in these countries. But it also has hard security interest that it wants to pursue. And so how it balances those to kind of competing priorities in a case like me share is something that washington hasnt wanted to, to have to decide on. And thats why it is, you know, holding, holding fast to this idea. That is, it is a military takeover, but it is not a, could you talk about these, these, these hard Strategic Priorities that exist in indies yet for the us, the color. And i mean, how determined is the us to stay in this you . How important is it, what, what is it but the, the us is doing in this . Yeah. Could you foresee a situation where the us would have to get involved militarily . No, i cant see a situation with us is going to be involved militarily. Lets remember that in 2017 for us servicemen were killed in the chair conducting Counterterrorism Operations on their own. Ever since that moment, washington has taken a big step back in terms of being on the front lines of this kind of terrorism fight. They are providing train and equip and assistance through intelligence support uh to the new jerry and military and other militarys in the region, but they are no longer on the front lines of the counterterrorism battle. I think thats a deeply unpopular and misunderstood frankly, by the american public. And i dont see that as a step that washington is going to be willing to take if it loses its partnership with, with the new jerry and military, alexis acting us deputy secretary of state victoria newland. Travel to new share on monday to speak with coolie to she described that talks as extremely frank could of times quite difficult bought all the coolly those options right now theyve rejected attempts to mediate away out of this crisis. How much room for maneuver do they have . What is the strategy moving forward . Do you think they could continue the same stuff to change that theyve employed . Which is essentially to say nothing and to not deal with those who are trying to sit negotiations because ultimately for all these courses quote. But they probably make the calculation that the west potentially for us and funds do not want to be seen to get involved. Because someone to this has been started by on to western sentiments. So then is, what does that cost for the ones who put you on the table, the military intervention will be an option. So therefore, it actually plays into the very just best interest to say nothing to those who are trying to negotiate with them and brought up to talk to those who might be i lives in some way, shape or form b by the kid. If i start molly or even the russians. So, i mean, i imagine thats probably what theyre looking to do in terms of other options, have been coming to georgia to this area. What time do we say . Look, if people vote from for democratic transition, then we will set the times, we will dictate how that happens. We will not be dictated to. So what its doing is that all they have to do is to make appointments, which weve seen them doing. And then present a follow response which is different type of transition versus how its going to play out. And then that way they get what they want, but the get what they want on their own times if they have a how danger some of it is for the, the, the why, the region, if there was any kind of ministry and dimension in his. Yeah. How would that play out playoffs in, in, in neighboring countries . Do you think that they will ultimately be a democratic transition in this . Yeah, once again, i mean, how long is it gonna take, look, whats happened elsewhere in the region . You shot a, me, she ever wants to play with the me. Somebody has actually played these. And when you look at the model, you saw that there was a directive to show who the games are still on call im or cannot be had the concert. So the want to play bases bite, the other one was bull dictation concerns that i have to fix it to all im not buy one. The last 4 can, you know, the process will say. And i also think that an easier, but actually we hope shes fixing how important they have. So that was done. Road didnt know how beautiful they actually drove the ministry basis. So this what uh, the bidding hudson, my junior for defense like 60 percent, all media media, im actually on board with the club this the same with their brothers and people to people with pollution. She would like to very booking this model, which makes it that has changed. Its difficult to read it to actually do into prayer as a form of intense prayer. Whats on the ground for them to be secure. That is actually a game many type of was the guy from this i heard so and the so really would you secure environment as well, which is the, for the people, it is a full season benefit. Hes also on the board, right. And such as the kind of sites, its a, im sure, but you know, they, they have this thing, right . And this is actually driving. Why driving down the phones. This is why they cant dictate to us. And we will have to actually find the weights and maybe its in the book because its not just the bottom of the listing. This quote is quite important because were talking about the concern. I dont think its from countries. Nom de negates re read j, which represents a loss of stress full from the west africa and the remaining parts of west africa. So you, alexis, on the other, you, what does it come in . The full echo was bent, the nations are ruled by self imposed military leaders right now at a suspended from the body. 2 of those countries, but kito faso and molly are supporting the 2 in this. Yeah. What are you to make of that . I think thats the product of self preservation ultimately because they know that if they do not show a full strength and show you united front, then they could be that because they said costs for it to follow through with the threats and to really cracked down on the i particularly like this, im going to terminate, then they know that they would be next on the firing line. So thats what im a provide. I dont believe there is necessarily a genuine united front. I mean, they say, well, i just think that they are already stretched on the wrong funds, because the thing that we havent touched on is the fact that this country is what unifies them. Is the threat they will face for me to invest in suttons so molly, but clean if i saw that both red, stretched, military in terms of fighting drugs and such insights. And so i think ultimately if i dont have the results just to really come and present a united front with bruce on the ground to support and kind direction. Right. Come or how long been before a return to democracy in new cher . If there is a transition from military will, will economic sanctions be enough to, to push this forward rapidly . When ministry paychecks dont get paid, will accumulate as be able to retain the support of the rank and file military as well. Thats going to be a hard question to answer right now. Um, you know, i think its, its worth remembering that this cool, even though it was led by the president ial guard within a matter of hours the president ial guard was able to, to bring on board all the Service Chiefs from all of the different uh, wings and units of the military, so this is not a junior officer. Uh, you know cool. This is a senior officer who uh it has the, the, the support of, uh, what seems to be the entire armed forces in the country. Um so, but again, i think the question is, you know, as the sanctions imposed by ego loss as the Development Assistance thats been cut off from the us and European Partners as that all begins to bite. And you see, as we heard before, our installation start to rise, electricity rates going lower. Um, you